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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. S. THOMAS. FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 243,994. Patented July 5,1881.-

Nv PETERS, Fhoto-Lilhcgnpher. Washingmm HQ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D.- S. THOMAS. FIRE ESCAPE.

No.- 243,994. Patented July 5, 1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID THOMAS, OF NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,994, dated July 5, 1881.

Application fired May16,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID S. THOMAS, of

North Platte, in the county of Lincoln and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes; and it consists in the combination of a jointed ladder, an adjustable reel, and a drum provided with ratchets for catching under the sections of the ladder, so as to raise the ladder up against the house.

It'further consists in a slotted hearing or support, which is attached to the frame, and which is provided with suitable projections for catching in the spiral grooves in the ends of the ladder-reel, whereby the reel is raised up ward as the ladder is uncoiled from it.

It further consists in the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine which can be used for the removal of persons and property from the upper stories of burning houses, and for the purpose of carry-' ing up hose, so that a full head of water can be turned upon the fire.

Figure l is a perspective of my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the top portion of the ladder. Fig. 4. is a detail view of the scroll and the projections which catch in it.

A represents a suitable frame, which is supported upon the four wheels B, and which is adapted to have horses secured to it, for the purpose of drawing it from one place to another. Pivoted to the inside of this frame, near G, is a suitable support, D, which is provided with a slot, E, in its front leg, so that it can be raised and lowered at the will of the operator, for the purpose of raising the ladder upward at a greater or less inclination, according to the height to which it is to be raised or the distance that the machine is from the building. Through the rear legs of this support is formed a second slot, F, through which the journal G of the reel H passes. Around this reelH are wrapped the ladder I and its supporting-rope J. This ladder is made ofjointed sections, which are hinged or otherwise fasten ed together, and which can be wrapped freely upon the reel in one direction,but which, when drawn from the reel,form a rigid ladder, which will bear any desired degree of weight. In or upon the ends of this reel are formed the spirals L, into which project suitable studs or projections M from the inner side of the slotted support, and these studs or projections serve to raise the reel constantly upward as it is having the ladder and rope unwound from it. Also journaled in this support D is a shaft, N, which is providedwith acrank at each end, and upon which is placed a drum, 0, around which the supportin g-rope of theladderis made -to pass two or more times. From this drum the rope passes around the pulley P, and thence up to the top of the ladder, where it is secured to the ladder in such a manner as to supportits upper end. This drum has a series of teeth or ratchets formed upon its edges, which serve to catch under and around the different sections of the. ladder, and not only draw the lad der from the reel, around which it is wrapped, but raise the ladder upward at the same time. As this drum draws the ladder from the reel it draws the supporting-rope at the same time. Were it not for. the slot in the support the spirals and the projections which catch in the spirals, so as to raise the reel constantly upward as the rope is uncoiled from it, the ladder would reeede from the drum, so that the teeth upon the drum would no longer be able to catch under the rounds for the purpose of raising it upward. By means of this device the ladder is always kept the same distance from the drum, and hence the drum acts equally upon it, whether there ,is a small portion of the ladder wound upon the reel or the whole of it. Placed upon the rear end of the frame is the crib or elevator R, which is designed to be raised upon the ladder after the ladder has been raised upon the house, for the purpose of lowering persons and property of all kinds. Secured to each corner of this crib is an iron rod, which rods have their upper ends secured to the slide S, which moves freely upon the front side of the ladder. Secured to this slide S is the upper end of the rope T, which passes over the pulley V, that is fastened at its lower end to the spool U on the front of the frame. This pulley V is permanently secured to the upper end of the ladder, and forms a guide for the rope T. After the ladder has been raised up against the side of the house, and it is desired to raise the crib up to one of the windows, the rope T is wound up upon the spool U, and the slide is then drawn up upon the front of the ladder, raising the crib with it. This spool is provided with a pawl and ratchet, so that it can be held at any desired point, and thus hold the elevator at any elevation. The roller or slide S is simply a support to which the elevator is secured, and while the elevator is being raised upward simply slides upon the front side of the ladder. When the cranks of this spool U are turned and this elevatingrope is coiled upon the spool the elevator is raised upward to the side of the house or building to a point where persons can .easily get into it. This elevator may be used either independently of the ladder or the ladder may be used alone, for persons can ascend or descend upon its rounds in perfect safety. In

raising the ladder upward the elevator will not be raised at the same time unless it is specially desired.

The upper end of the ladder is provided with suitable hooks, X, which catch over the corner of any projectingpart of the building, and then these hooks will support the weight of the ladder to a great extent and make it much safer for the elevator to be used.

The frame A may be provided with all the necessary appliances which firemen need, and can be readily drawn or pushed into any position necessary to enable the ladder to be quickly run up to the side of the building. Each one of the reels will be provided with suitable pawls and ratchets and other suitable devices for preventing them from turning backward when their cranks are released.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the reel and the ladder, made in sections and wrapped around said reel, a supporting-rope which is wound around the reel with the ladder, a drum provided with ratchets or teeth, around which the rope is wrapped, and which drum serves to raise the ladder upward, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of a reel, the rope, and the jointed ladder wound thereon, a drum provided with teeth for raising the ladder upward, a spiral formed upon the ends of the reel, and projections formed upon the sides of the slotted supporting-frame, whereby the reel is raised upward toward the drum as the ladder and the rope are unwound, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the reel, the ladder, and its supporting-rope wound thereon, the drum for drawing the rope from the reel and provided with teeth for raising the ladder upward, and a guiding-pulley around which the rope passes, substantially as set forth.

4. The supporting-frame I), provided with a slot, E, in each of its front legs, whereby the support can be raised and lowered at its front end for the purpose of changing the inclination of the ladder, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the jointed ladder provided with hooks and a pulley at its upper end, of an elevator having a roller or slide attached to its upper end, and an elevating-rope, and a spool, whereby the elevator can be raised upon the ladder, substantially as shown and described. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' DAVID S. THOMAS. Witnesses:

ANTH. RIEs, W. LLOYD. 

